city in Texas
Honey bee forage in Princeton, Texas
Estimated forage here is better than about 73% of sites in Texas. Against other Texas sites it stands out most in summer (79th percentile) and lowest in fall (52nd). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.5 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years); sorghum (nearest 0.3 mi SW, grown 3 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Princeton?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: Feb 1 to Jun 15, peaking early Mar (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jul 1 to Jul 15 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Princeton, from what grows within flight range (about 3.7 miles) and when it blooms here. Dates are the model's estimate for a typical year; the spring index for this spot falls on Mar 11.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; amber
- Whole season (March to November): roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Corn: about 16 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.5 mi SW, blooms early May – early Jun (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Sorghum: about 10 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi SW, blooms early May – early Jun (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
From USDA's crop maps for 2021–2025; fields rotate, so a crop counts by how often it was grown. Listing a field says nothing about its owner.
The land and water around Princeton
Mostly: Southeastern Ruderal Grassland; Southeastern Great Plains Floodplain Forest and Woodland; Texas Blackland Tallgrass Prairie.
Nearest mapped water: creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.18 mi SW; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.2 mi S.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 65% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Princeton ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 67th | 85th | 35th | 43rd |
| Texas | 73rd | 77th | 79th | 52nd |
| Texas Blackland Prairies | 31st | 33rd | 66th | 79th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 38% of the land here is scored with national averages for its vegetation type rather than measured plant cover, so the wild-plant part of this estimate is rougher than the crop part.
The national forage map around Princeton: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Lowry Crossing 2 mi · New Hope 3 mi · Fairview 7 mi · Lucas 7 mi · Melissa 8 mi · Seis Lagos 8 mi
An estimate from public maps (USDA crop maps 2021–2025 averaged, LANDFIRE vegetation), not a survey of the ground. Maps can't see garden plantings, understory density, other beekeepers' hives, or this year's weather. The point is the Census Bureau's published center of Princeton (33.1845, -96.5094); a yard a mile or two away can differ, so check your own spot. The FEMA flood map was not checked for this page. Benchmark 2026.5, built 2026-10-19. How this works · All sources.